Ideas and Inspiration for Sustainability Educators
How to Start a Sit Spot Practice With Your Students (Free Printable Bookmark)
Learn how to lead a sit spot with your students and download a free printable bookmark with sensory prompts for outdoor observation.
When Your Kid Knows Your Worst Nightmare
My son said a Simpsons episode was my “worst nightmare.” He was right, and it started one of our best conversations about plastic.
Human Decisions and Environmental Stewardship: Every Choice Lands Somewhere
Every decision has a consequence. This SustainCEL pillar invites students to see their choices as part of the natural world, and to ask how we make sure we never have to fix what we break.
Native vs. Invasive Species: A Hands-On Adventure Through Biomes and Adaptations
From "Who Would Win?" animal battles to designing imaginary creatures with their own adaptations, this third-grade unit turns native vs. invasive species into a hands-on adventure through biomes, ecosystems, and creative science.
Sustainability Is More Than Renewable Energy
"I thought you just taught renewable energy." One parent's honest comment at curriculum night became a teaching moment about what sustainability really means: systems thinking, interconnection, and the realization that "away" doesn't really exist.
Your Three-Step Trail Map to Sustainable Education: Know it, Do it, Lead it.
Integrating sustainability into your curriculum doesn't have to be a burden. This simple three-step framework, Know It, Do It, Lead It, moves students from foundational knowledge to hands-on application to real-world leadership.
Isn’t Sustainability Education Just Environmental Education?
"Isn't sustainability education just environmental education?" It's a fair question, and the answer isn't a simple yes. This post unpacks where the two overlap, where sustainability education pushes further into systems thinking, and why both matter in the classroom.
Trash to Triumph: Sustainable STEM Challenges That Spark Innovation
Tired of the material waste that comes with STEM challenges? Sustainable STEM solves it by using salvaged classroom and household materials for design challenges like "Harry Needs a View!" and "Zero-Touch Transport," turning recycling bins into supply cabinets.
Sustainable Kindergarten: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Lesson
This blog article showcases a lesson using the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Students use toilet paper rolls, popsicle sticks and letters to make their own tree.